Phillip Lim

Phillip Lim Pictures

The who’s who of the fashion industry usually keep a tight grip on the velvet rope that protects their inner circle from mediocrity, but when designer Phillip Lim debuted his line, 3.1 Phillip Lim, at New York Fashion Week in 2005, he was immediately deemed VIP. His signature style -- a seamless blend of evening attire sophistication and street-wear sensibility -- worked like a secret password…